More often than not, women who find out they’re pregnant become increasingly concerned over keeping themselves and their child healthy and safe from toxins. After all, the environment has gone through changes and advancement through the years, where harmful chemicals and toxic elements came to affect the air, water and even the food we normally take in as sustenance. The most challenging part in addressing such concerns are the hidden toxic elements. Nevertheless, they are not without solutions albeit requiring professional help of service providers.
Still, pregnant women should not be too worried about toxins in the environment, lest they become paranoid over every aspect of their living conditions. Stress and anxiety attacks can also cause unhealthy pregnancy conditions. Actually, the list of toxic ingredients and materials that cause hazards to human health and the environment, is quite long; we cannot worry about all of them. Moreover, health authorities say that if we do not use, inhale or ingest them habitually, small doses will not have devastating effects.
Yet there are certain conditions that make it important for families to look into and take issue as a matter of health concern.
Lead and Other Toxic Materials Used in Homes Built in the 70s or Earlier
If you are currently living in a home that was built in the 70s or earlier, it would be wise to have a professional check if the plumbing, heating and electrical systems of the house have been replaced with modern components. Many California homes built and sold during the real estate boom in the 1970s and earlier, made use of materials that were later discovered to have high levels of toxicity such as lead, asbestos and VOCs.
Besides, after more than 40 years in existence, a thorough inspection of the pipes, especially when there are pregnant women, children and older adults present, as they could be affected. If you are to call a plumbing company, a plumber will inspect if the interior surface of pipes is already shedding off tiny rust flakes that in the future can clog pipes, faucets and showerheads.
Since OB-Gynes constantly stress the importance of drinking plenty of water during pregnancy. In which case, it would also be wise to have your tap water checked for contaminants. Lead or mercury regardless of the amounts that go into the drinking water are health hazards.
According to Professor Mark Woodin, Sc.D., of the Civil and Environmental Engineering Dept. of Boston’s Tufts University School of Medicine, lead in drinking water has been linked to cases of premature birth, low birth weight, and in some cases, permanent damage or poor development of an infant’s nervous system. The Environmental Protection Agency’s (EPA) performs water testing for a $15 fee or higher.